Mike Soroka began his rehab assignment with the Rome Braves on Tuesday night, and the Maple Maddux looked absolutely flawless. Soroka mowed down eight batters in only four innings, surrendering only a single hit in an otherwise perfect return to the mound. And the stuff looked filthy.
It’s the first time Soroka has pitched in a live game in more than a year, and it couldn’t have been more special to see a guy bounce back from multiple Achilles surgeries in this fashion. Although this is extremely encouraging, Soroka still hasn’t started a major-league game in over two years; the club will certainly take it slow with the 25-year-old righty.
It’s probably a long shot that he contributes down the stretch or in the playoffs, but if there’s anything we’ve learned from Mike Soroka, it’s not to doubt his persistence. Chase recently pondered what the odds he’d return were:
We should know relatively soon whether Soroka will be able to contribute to the major-league team this season, but if I had to put odds on it, I would say 40%.
That’s a generous number given all Soroka has been through. If this were most anyone else, I would have those odds at zero. But Soroka hasn’t let this incredible stretch of abysmal luck get him down. He’s remained positive throughout the entire process, which is a testament to his mental makeup. From the neck above, Mike Soroka isn’t like most pitchers, which is why I still give him an outside chance at contributing to the Braves when they need him most.
Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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